Phil Jackson has given Knicks players, now it's on Carmelo Anthony to win games

The newest Knicks (l. to r.): Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah and Brandon Jennings may have brought headlines, but it is still Carmelo Anthony's team to lead. (Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

It's a player's league. Not a coach's league or a system league. The triangle doesn't win a championship in Chicago without Michael Jordan, and the Knicks weren't winning much of anything the last two seasons.

So Phil Jackson reached the correct conclusion after a recent meeting with an increasingly impatient Carmelo Anthony: As long as Anthony is here and All-Star capable, the 31-year-old's career timeline should be placated. If not, what's the point of paying him $124 million with a no-trade clause?

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"One of my questions to Carmelo was, you know, we haven't made the playoffs and now this is three years, two years, since I've been here — are we moving quickly enough for you and your anticipation of trying to be into a competitive playoff situation?" Jackson said. "I think that was our conversation and established the fact of his desire, the idea that he is getting into an age where things have to happen for him. So we decided to activate ourselves."

This is Anthony's responsibility now. His burden to win games. No more excuses or demands through the media. That was the implication Friday from Jackson, who reversed the roles after a year of Anthony publicly pleading that the team president be better at his job.

Jackson revealed Anthony asked for a point guard in their meeting, and how he, Jackson, quickly turned that request into Derrick Rose. Once the deal was completed, the Knicks were "activated," to steal Jackson's buzzword, into their win-now plan that aligns more with Anthony's desires. Aside from the presence of Kristaps Porzingis — which should never be underestimated — it's like the first two years under Jackson don't exist. A waste of time and triangle seminars.

Phil Jackson realizes free agency is the way to turn things around - finally. (Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

But give Jackson credit for this summer: he realized how the influx of TV money into the league created a system that emphasizes free agency and discourages continuity. Players are jumping at the chance to relocate because each new contract arrives with a hefty pay raise. This year, the Knicks didn't even get a meeting with Kevin Durant. Next year, they're set up with enough cap space and probably a better record to sell to Russell Westbrook.

"We anticipate that this is the style of what the NBA is going to be like in the coming years. Rosters will have to be re-established and restructured in free agency," Jackson said. "There are going to be 160, 170 guys that are going to be free agents every year. So there's going to be a lot of turnover in the NBA that does preclude that you're not going to have continuity. This is one of the difficult things about it."

To be clear, the Knicks aren't close to championship contention, not with LeBron James in Cleveland and the Galactic Empire in Oakland. But they are a group of veterans with talent and the same agenda as Anthony. Homecourt advantage in the first round isn't out of the realm of possibility so long as the fragile pieces stay intact. The days of Derek Fisher claiming he wouldn't be disappointed if the Knicks didn't make the playoffs are finished.

In addition to Anthony and Rose, they now have a passionate leader in Joakim Noah to keep winning in focus. It will take about five minutes for Noah to become a fan favorite. Maybe it's already happened.

How will all these new players mesh under coach Jeff Hornacek? (Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

"I've been injured the last couple of years, and it sucks. As an athlete, trust me there's nothing more I want than to be on the court. It doesn't matter what anybody writes or anybody says, at the end of the day nobody cares about this s--t more than me," Noah said. "I'm the one putting in the work every day. I'm very passionate about this. I always have been and I always will. This is where I want to end my career until the wheels fall off. I'm scarred up from the game: knees, ankles, shoulders, but this is my path and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Asked how he can contribute offensively, Noah responded, "Whatever the f--k I gotta do."

That must be good to hear for Anthony. And Jackson. Finally, it seems, they're on the same wavelength. It allowed Jackson to shift responsibility Friday, saying without saying, "I did this for Carmelo. Now he has to do his job."